1. Field of the Device
The present device relates to an improved door opening/closing device for an ice dispenser which can dispense a desired amount of ice pieces made by an ice maker of a refrigerator.
Particularly In the present device, ice pieces made in a tray by an ice maker are detached from the tray and are stored in an ice dispenser. In a case of taking out the ice pieces from the ice dispenser, an opening/closing door for the ice dispenser is opened by a push button. In this instance, the opening/closing door of the present device is silently and smoothly opened and closed by an electrical and mechanical rotating means which does not generate shock and impact sound.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general the door opening/closing device for the ice dispenser is configured to open and close the door for the ice dispenser by electrical operation of a solenoid, thereby dispensing a desired amount of ice pieces, or to open and close the door by using a large-sized cam member eccentrically connected to an output shaft of an AC sync motor, in which a rod connected to the door is rotated around the eccentric cam.
In the case of the configuration which opens and closes the door by electrical operation of the solenoid, an electric current is applied to a copper coil to generate a magnetic field, so that the copper coil becomes an electromagnet to pull or push a movable metal rod. If the power is interrupted, a retracting speed of the metal rod is very quick by a return spring and its one weight of the metal rod. If the retracted metal rod strongly collides against an iron core of a case, significantly strong impact sound is generated, so that a user is startled at the sound of the solenoid. As a result, the strong impact sound whenever the ice is dispensed gives the user an unpleasant feeling and also offends the user.
Further, the solenoid generates strong attracting force in a state in which the case is adhered to the iron core by an attracting principle of the electromagnet. Since initial attracting force is weak at a stage of initial operation in which the metal core is away from the case, there is a problem in that a freezer is covered by frost or is frozen at temperature of −20° C., buzzer sound is generated by continuous vibration until the attracting operation is completely performed at the frozen state.
In the case in which the large-sized eccentric cam member is connected to the output shaft of the AC sync motor to open and close the door, since high-voltage AC power is used, an electric shock is attended with danger at the time of electric leakage in the ice dispenser in which moisture always exists. In addition, since a micro switch for detecting a position of the camp is provided in a separate space, and a minimum rotation radius of the cam is required so as to rotate the cam and operate the switch, the size of the device is necessarily increased. Therefore, the installation of the ice dispenser is hampered by a variety of restrictions in the position and space, and the ice dispenser looks bad externally. Further, it is in a disadvantageous position in view of the cost.
In order to reduce the impact noise and the danger of high-voltage accident, as shown in FIG. 9, a door opening/closing device is disclosed in Korean Unexamined Utility Model Application Publication No. 20-2002-33405, which includes a low-voltage DC motor 31, several reduction gear trains 32 and 33, a rack gear 34, and a movable operator 35, a switch 36 which are installed in a lower case 30 to move in a straight direction. However, the door opening/closing device has drawbacks in that increased number of components causes the configuration to be complex and straight movement of the rack gear 34 and the movable operator 35 restricts the dimension and requires a wide installation space for straight movement. Therefore, the cost for manufacturing and installing the door opening/closing device is increased.